Hoop-splitting machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

"(No Model.)

H. WEITZEL. HO'OP SPLITTING MACHINE.

Patented Jan. 26, 1886.

smi n ji/ wu a 4 M o F1 N MAO-gm N. PETERS Phalo-Lilhogmphcn Washington. D. C.

2 Sheets-Shet 2 (No Model.)

H. WEITZEL.

HOOP SPLITTING-MAGHINE.

No. 335,000; Patented Jan. 26.1886.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES HENRY \VEITZEL, OF ITHAOA, \VISCONSIN.

HOOP-SPLITTING MACHINE;

EEPECIFICATION forming; part of Letters Patent No. 335,000, dated January 26, 1886.

Application filed November 13, 1885. Serial No. 1.82.742. i (No ll'lollll.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY WEITZEL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ithaca, in the county of Richland and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Hoop-Splitting Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved hoop-splitting machine. Fig. 2 is a front .view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on the line a; a; in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a detail View, in perspective, of the roller-gage for regulating the thickness of the hoops to be cut or split from the pole.

The same letters refer to the same parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to hoop-splitting machines or devices for splitting or riving hoops for coopering from poles; and it has for its object to provide a device of this class which shall possess superior advantages in point of simplicity, durability, and general efficiency; which shall be provided with a simple and easily-adjustable device for gaging or regulating the thickness of the hoops to be manufactured; which shall be equipped with a re volving roller to support the hoops as they pass out of the machine, and which shall be so constructed and geared as to enable it to be readily manipulated by hand or by any suitable power which may be transmitted through the medium of belts, cog-gearing, tumblingrods, or any other suitable means.

The invention further consists in the improved construction of the splitting knives or cutters, whereby they are specially adapted to follow the grain of the wood which is to be cut, thus enabling frozen poles to be cut as easily and successfully as when not frozen, which cannot, so far as I am aware, be accomplished in hoop-splitting machines of ordinary construction. By this improved construction of the knives they are also rendered self-feeding, all as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, A designates the frame of my improved hoop-splitting machine, which is constructed of wood, and which consists of a base or sill, B, on which are mounted the uprights O O. which are connected by the cap-pieces D 1), and by suitable braces, E E, having boxes or bearings for the several shafts of the machine.

F is the main shaft, which may be driven by hand or by power of any suitable kind, and in any desired manner. From the said main shalt motion is transmitted through coggearing or in any suitable manner to a transverse shaft, (l, which is in turn geared with a shaft, 11.

Suitably mounted upon the shafts G and H in such a manner as to register with each other are the knives or cutting-disks I I, which consist of flat circular sharp-edged disks having wavy or scalloped edges J J, which are arranged to mesh'together, as shown clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings. By this construction and arrangement of the cutters they will perform the work of cutting or riving the hoops in a most effective manner, and they will also serve to feed the pole which is being operated upon through the machine. They will also follow the grain of the wood with greater certainty than the smooth-edged knives which are ordinarily employed, thus increasing the excellence and value of the hoops produced.

The knives or cutters may be mounted upon their respective shafts in any suitable convenient manner.

K designates a metallic strap or bracket, one end of which is suitablyattachcd to one of the rear uprights, O, of the frame, and the other end of which is provided with a horizontal slot, L, through which passes a bolt, M, ex-

tending through one of the front uprights of the frame, to which the front end of the strap or bracket K is thereby adj ustably secured. Strap K is provided with a pair of laterallyextending arms, N N, affording bearings fora vertical roller, 0, that serves as a gage or guide for the material to be operated upon, and to regulate the thickness of the hoops to be cut. The operation of this part of the invention will be readily understood. The guide roller, which is located slightlyin front of the knives or cutters, may, by properly adjusting the strap K, be placed at any desired distance to one side of said cutters, thus gaging the thickness of the hoops to be riven from a pole, which is fed through the machine in contact with the said gage or guide roller.

1? P are a pair of arms or brackets, which are attached pivotally to the lower ends of the rear uprights, G G, of the frame. The outer ends of the said arms are connected adjustably with the upper ends of the uprights O by means of pivoted braces Q Q, having each a series of perforations, R, for thereception of the fastening bolts or pins S. The outer ends of the brackets P support a roller, T, which serves as a rest for the material passing through the machine after it passes beyond 'the control of the operator. It will be seen that the supporting roller may be readily raised or lowered, as the case may require, by properly adjusting the braces Q.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood.

The construction is simpleandinexpensive, and the advantages of theiniproved construction of the knives or cutters, as well as of the general construction and arrangement of parts, will be readily appreciated.

The operation of the machine is easy and effective, and its manipulation does not call for skilled or educated labor.

I would have it understood that while the general construction and arrangement of parts herein described will be usually adhered to, I desire to reserve the right to any modifications which may be resorted to without departing 0 from the spirit of my invention. 1

Having thus described myinvcntion, I clai and desire to secure by Letters Patent 0f the United States 1. In amachine forsplittinghoops, the combination of a frame, a pair :of transverse shafts suitably geared together, and the cutters mounted upon said shafts, said cutters con sisting of sharp-edged disks having wavy or scalloped edges meshing or registering together, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In amaehine for splitting hoops, the herein-described knives or cutters, consisting of flat sharp-edged disks having wavy or scalloped edges, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a machine for splitting hoops, the combination of a suitable frame, a pair of transverse shafts geared together, the wavy-edged cutters mounted on said shafts, and a guide or gage consisting of a strap or bracket attached at the rear end of the frame, connected adjustably with the front end of the same, and having laterally-extending arms, in which is journaled a vertical roller locatedslightly in front of the cutters, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I

4. In a machine forsplitting hoops, the combination of a frame, the transverse shafts having the wavy-edged cutting-disks, the laterally-adjustable gage or guide roller, and a horizontal supporting-roller connected adjustably to the rear end of the frame by means of suitable brackets or braces, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

.HENRY WEITZEL.

Vitnesscs.

F. W. BURNHAM, B. WV. POOLE. 

